Girl, 12, dies waterskiing when wind-blown hat briefly distracts dad

GRAFTON COUNTY, N.H. – A devastating incident out of New Hampshire, where a 12-year-old girl visiting from Colorado was killed while waterskiing on a lake Monday morning after a wind-blown hat distracted her dad.

Zoe Anderson's father was driving the powerboat on Newfound Lake in Hebron, with her mom and 14-year-old sister also in the boat, when Zoe fell while skiing.

Sherwood Anderson was trying to bring the ski line back to her when his hat blew off. He "was momentarily distracted, and as a result, the boat did strike the victim at a slow rate of speed, but unfortunately, the victim sustained serious injuries," a sergeant tells WMUR of the 8:30am incident.

The Union Leader reports Anderson had put the boat into neutral as his hat flew off. Zoe was hit by the propeller and suffered torso injuries, the AP reports; she died before she could be transported to a hospital.

The family hails from Highlands Ranch and was in the state to visit relatives.